


If You Don't Say Goodbye

by LilRadRidingHood



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chorus Trilogy (Red vs. Blue), Gen, Light Angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25946917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilRadRidingHood/pseuds/LilRadRidingHood
Summary: Wash snaps at Church for the way he left his team, and Carolina is the one to apologize.
Relationships: Agent Carolina & Agent Washington (Red vs. Blue)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	If You Don't Say Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place during season 12 episode 16, pretty much right before Church and Tucker make up.

Wash and Carolina walk toward the perimeter of the fueling station, leaving the Reds and Blues to take a breather after Tucker and Church's argument. The A.I. himself is still hidden in Carolina's armor compartment.

"You think they'll be okay?" she asks.

"They'll be fine," Wash says. Then he mutters, "As long as Epsilon stops being a prick."

A second later, Church's little hologram appears by Carolina's shoulder. "I'm sorry, what was that? An insult from the idiot who accepted a _tracking device_ from the _enemy_?"

"I told you, it was a lapse in judgement that won't happen again. That's no excuse for you to repeatedly provoke your own teammate."

"Who, Tucker? _He's_ the one who's been an asshole ever since we got back."

"And you can't think of anything you did to upset him first? Like, oh, I dunno, _leaving without saying goodbye_?" 

"That's not-"

"No. You listen. Because if the others are too prideful to say it, then I will. Your team was a mess. Not because they're incompetent, or lazy, but because they were hurt. You wanna know why I thought it was so important to get Freckles back? Because he was the first thing that could make Caboose happy while you were gone! I couldn't tell you how many nights I woke up to him crying over your old helmet. And Tucker-" Wash pauses, remembering the uninspired private he trained back at Crash Site Bravo. "He had his own way of handling it. But he stepped up when it mattered, despite everything going wrong in his life. The least you can do is acknowledge how far he's come."

His words give way to a long stretch of silence, with he and Church simply facing each other until the latter finally sighs and shakes his head.

"All right, I'm out for real this time," he says. "If you need me… well too fucking bad."

Then he disappears, leaving Wash and Carolina alone.

"Wash…"

"What? Are you gonna tell me I was too hard on your new travel partner?"

"No," she says gently. "You were right. And I'm sure Epsilon will realize that too, once he's had time to think. But for now… I want to apologize."

Wash's anger dissipates. "Apologize?"

"I've been meaning to for a while now. The truth is, I'm the one who convinced Epsilon to come with me. I… I know this doesn't excuse what I did, but I had this idea stuck in my head. That if you don't say goodbye, then you aren't really gone. You just…"

"…aren't here right now." Wash's voice grows distant. "Where did I hear that?"

"My mother said it."

"Your mother…?"

Suddenly, it all makes sense. The reason why the director was always extra harsh toward Carolina, why she was always so obsessed with winning—maybe the competitive nature of the project was part of it, but there was also something more. Something that flowed through their veins.

"Allison said that," he says. "Your mother… was Allison."

Carolina nods. "She always hated goodbyes. But when she left for the war and never came back, she _was_ gone. Leaving without saying goodbye didn't change that. So I should've known. I should've known that she was wrong, and I should've been better. I'm sorry." 

"Carolina…"

She kept her head down as she spoke, but now she turns to him hopefully.

"It's okay," he says. "I mean, I was mad at first, but… I think it all worked out well. I really have enjoyed seeing how much Tucker has grown, and once he and Church work things out, it'll be like you two never left."

Carolina smiles. "Looks like you've found yourself a new family."

"Yeah, I guess I have. And so have you."

"Oh please. I doubt anyone's willing to welcome _me_ into the group. Not after everything I've done."

"Trust me. These guys have forgiven a lot worse. In fact, I'm sure they already see you as part of the team. I know I do."

Her smile widens at the thought. She never expected to feel so attached to a bunch of sim troopers. But if a team with the best training and the best equipment couldn't keep from tearing each other to pieces, maybe a rag-tag team of idiots is exactly the kind of family she needs.

And if the Reds and Blues will have her, she'll do anything to make sure that this time, her family stays together.


End file.
